Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Illume

Discover the full range of our premium leather collections in one convenient catalog! From timeless classics to bold new textures, our updated catalog is packed with inspiration and materials to bring your next project to life. Whether you’re in crafts, fashion, interior design, or upholstery—this is your go-to guide. Contact us to get your copy today! Call: 972-635-3055 Email: info@texasleathergoods.com Visit: 1224 Capital Dr., Carrollton, TX 75006…

B. CRAWFORD B. Crawford has written, co-written or ghost-written more than three dozen books over the last thirty years, including Border Radio: Quacks, Yodelers, Pitchmen, Psychics and Other Amazing Broadcasters of the American Airwaves (Univ. of Texas Press: 2002) which he co-wrote with fellow Illume writer Gene Fowler. Crawford is interested in all things authentic and mind-bending. He currently lives in a small town in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, where he writes, swims, rides his bike, and drinks tequila. GENE FOWLER A writer and performer based in Texas, Gene Fowler has written for Cowboys & Indians, Oxford American, San Francisco Chronicle, True West, and many other publications. His books include Maverick, Border Radio, Crazy Water, and Metro Music. RICHARD MASSEY Richard Massey is a writer based in East Texas. MARK BARCUS…

Hi, my name is Mark Barcus, Owner of Cow Camp Saddlery. I was asked by Illume: what do you know now that you didn’t know five years ago, 10 years ago or even 20 years ago? This was a great question, so I guess let’s start with a little history. I’ve always been interested in the cowboy way of life, and always plan to be a cowboy, so naturally leather is just a part of that lifestyle. Growing up, my dad had some tools so we had access to experiment with it. Around age 9, I entered the local county fair and that’s kind of how I got started with leather. I always work leather, sometimes it was alive and sometimes it was dead, but cows were always a part…

On the pause in the US-China tariff war “We expect the recently announced 90-day tariff truce between the U.S. and China to benefit our business both directly — by easing pressure on the hide market where we source our raw materials — and indirectly, as improved economic conditions support consumer confidence and downstream demand.” – Hermann Oak President Drew Gulick On the price drop for cow hides “I’ve never seen anything like this, not even during COVID. A lot of your meat packers over the years have diversified and have gotten into pork, chicken and prepared foods. They realized they needed to be integrated because of times like these. We’ve seen a lot of red ink on the beef side from all of these meat packers.” – Ken Maxfield, The…

When applied to a leathercraft project, what fastens, connects, rivets, buckles, snaps and straps the whole shootinʼ match together? Hardware, pardner, hardware. And one of the best places to score these distinctive metal items, so essential to the functionality and durability of a leather item, is the 21,000-square-foot warehouse of Batz USA in Prattsville, Arkansas. Batzʼ wholesale and retail business, all conducted by mail order, offers these useful and decorative gems for leatherwork categories such as saddlery and tack, handbags, dog collars and leashes, luggage and more. And beyond leather, customers find Batzʼ products perfect for marine uses, bird accessories, outdoors and sports equipment, flags, strap and webbing and so much more. All told, Batz USAʼs catalog includes more than 2,000 hardware items. Weʼre talkinʼ everything from D-Rings, O-Rings, Slides…

MATERIALS: • Belt blank• Water + mister• Stylus/pencil (for marking)• Clobber’s hammer/flat hammer• Shot bag• Swivel knife• Mallet/maul• Wing dividers• Push beader• Stylus• Veiner (Barry King)• Long beveler (Barry King)• Seed tool or border stamp of choice (Barry King)• White acrylic leather paint (Angelus)• Glitterlites paint in Ice Ice Blue (Angelus)• Resist• Sheep skin or other application material• Antique finish in medium brown (Fiebing’s)• Finishing coat (Fiebing’s)• Paint supplies (brushes, pallet, material to protect work area, etc.) STEP 1: Prepare your belt by taping the back to reduce stretching during tooling and casing the leather. STEP 2: Set your wing dividers to 3/16" and scribe a line along the edges of the belt. STEP 3: Use a swivel knife to cut along the scribed lines. For better control, lay the blade slightly…

WANTED NEW SUBSCRIBERS WANTED. Now is the time to renew and see what you have been missing! Give us a call at (435) 565-6052, e-mail: savannah@burns1876.com or visit www.illumeconnect.com. GREAT OPPORTUNITY. Burns 1876 is now hiring saddlemakers, bootmakers, silversmiths, hat makers, and leather craftsman/woman in their manufacturing facilities in Salina, Utah. In-house training provided. Please send your resume and a cover letter to careers@burns1876.com. AMISH CRAFTSMAN LOOKING FOR A WHOLESALE OUTLET. I specialize in dog training products and dog muzzles. I can custom make products to your specs. Jonathan Borntreger, 19563 CTY HWY MM, Wilton, WI. 54670 WANTED • Standard Rivet Spot Setter with Hoppers (stand-up or sit-down model). • Dye Sets for Standard Rivet Spot Setter • Landis 6-inch Crank Splitter. Must be in working condition and available for…

Crafted for refined interiors, our El Matador Premium English Bridle Leather is perfect for wallets, notebook covers, belt liners, and more. Available in 1–2 oz and 2–3 oz thicknesses, it’s sold by the square foot to fit your exact needs. Now featuring pasted/finished backs, it’s ready to use without doubling—offering a clean, professional look with minimal effort. Available in dark brown, medium brown, tan, chestnut, burgundy, and black. Elevate your craftsmanship with the quality and elegance of English Bridle Interior Leather—only at Maker’s Leather Supply. www.makersleathersupply.com Call: 254-300-1881 Email: orders@makersleathersupply.com…

LEATHER’S ROLE IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY There’s no ignoring it. We live in a global economy and everywhere we turn – the media is talking about it. So, where does the leather industry fit in? The global leather industry plays a pivotal role in creating livelihoods, particularly in developing nations where it serves as a source of both employment and economic empowerment. In 2022, the global leather goods market was valued at $242.85 billion and is expected to reach USD $355.75 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. Let’s dive in to learn some more. Workers’ Lifelines Spanning across sectors such as fashion, upholstery and automotive manufacturing, leather production provides a lifeline for millions of workers worldwide. Countries such as India, Bangladesh and Ethiopia have emerged as significant players…

At a school in the heart of rural Texas, where street lights are few and cattle are plenty, leather is making its debut! A Leather Gala and silent auction put on by the Frost ISD agricultural department is inspiring students and bringing the community together. Monica Patrick is the Ag Science teacher and advisor at Frost ISD, as well as the CTE coordinator for the district. She keeps busy with stock shows, school curriculum, FFA advising and teaching the Agra business class. It’s because of her that this gala comes about. About six years ago, before teaching agribusiness, Monica was teaching floral design and wanted to provide an art more kids could enjoy. She used floral design as an introduction to a leather working class. The leather class quickly grew…